Supervisor Jerry Muenzer likened developers’ pursuit of lower fees to the county being “raped and pillaged” at Tuesday’s board meeting.
Muenzer made his remarks in response to an attorney from Benchmark Communities who spoke at the board meeting and requested the county to revisit its annexation fees, which come to $9,500 per unit.
Muenzer compared developers’ actions to rape and pillage in reference to the county’s rapid growth in the 1980s and 1990s and lacking infrastructure upgrades to keep pace.
“We have been raped and pillaged,” Muenzer told the development firm’s general counsel, a woman. “You want to come in again. You want to rape us and pillage us.”
After Muenzer’s response, representatives from two other development companies interested in building here spoke at the podium and made similar requests to lower those annexation charges.
At the request of board Chairwoman Margie Barrios, the board is set to receive a presentation on the fee structure at an upcoming meeting. Supervisors Anthony Botelho and Robert Rivas joined Muenzer, however, in indicating they would not be open to lowering the fees.
One public speaker, resident Marty Richman, warned Muenzer about his “choice of words.”
“Maybe that’s a holdover from Measure J,” Richman said, referring to the tensely debated anti-fracking initiative approved in November. “I would like you guys to quit it.”
Muenzer did not immediately return a call seeking additional comment.
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